.As US, UK pledge more support for Agency
The Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) on Tuesday ordered that the agency should completely wipe out drug cartels in Lagos State.
Marwa gave the order when he visited the agency’s command in Lagos for an on-the-spot assessment of its facilities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NDLEA boss is on a three-day familiarisation and assessment visit to the various commands of the agency in Lagos state including other entities that are of strategic importance to the operations of the agency.
Marwa, who decried the high rate of illicit drug trafficking in Lagos State, said that the state is responsible for 30 per cent of the total drugs abusers in the country.
He said: “In the country, an estimate of 15 million people belong to one or more aspects of illicit drug dealing.This means about 4.5 million people in Lagos State are into illicit drugs,” he said.
Marwa said some of the factors responsible for the illicit drug scourge in Lagos State include: the huge population, the presence of two seaports and airports and a huge number of unregistered medicine sellers.
According to him, there are about 1.58 million patent medicine stores in the country.
“Out of the figure, only 58,000 patent medicine outlets are registered while about 1 million others remain unregistered. This has really enhanced sales of illicit drugs in the state,” Marwa said.
He, however, commended the agency’s commandant in Lagos State, Mr Ralph Igwenagu on his efforts at ridding the state of illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
“It is only through the combined efforts of all the officers that the agency can win the fight against drugs, “ Marwa said.
He reassured officers of his commitment to improved conditions of service for enhanced effective service delivery.
“I know this command needs a befitting edifice. This will be worked on as soon as possible,” he said.
Igwenagu commended the NDLEA’s boss for according Lagos State’s command utmost attention within his short time of assumption of office.
He said that the command would speedily intensify efforts to achieve his directive, to ensure ‘a drug free Lagos State”.
Igwenagu said that the command arrested 471 drug offenders in 2020 in spite of the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the arrest comprised 424 males and 47 females and added that the offenders were arrested at various locations in Lagos.
“This year, the command seized 11,798 kilogrammes (over 11 tons) of various illicit hard drugs and 722.31 litres of same illicit drugs (liquid) from dealers and joints in the state,” Igwenagu said.
Meanwhile, the United States and the United Kingdom governments have pledged more support for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) after expressing satisfaction with the successes recorded by the new leadership of the agency in just eight weeks in the saddle.
Consul General, US Consulate, Lagos, Claire Pierangelo and the British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones said this on Tuesday during the donation of a speedboat to the NDLEA.
In a statement made available by the Director Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in Abuja, Pierangelo expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Chairman, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) in just eight weeks on the seat.
She assured that the US government would be willing to collaborate and give more support to the lead anti-drug agency in Nigeria in view of the dynamism and efficiency that have been brought into the operations of the agency.
In his remarks, the Deputy British High Commissioner, Llewellyn-Jones, said the UK government was pleased with the series of illicit drugs seized by the NDLEA at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Llewellyn-Jones added that the seizures at the Tincan seaport and the Apapa seaport, all in Lagos, soon after Marwa came on board as the Chairman of the NDLEA were commendable.
He said with the renewed vigour brought into the war against illicit drugs in Nigeria and the successes recorded between January and now, the UK would be glad to offer more support to the Agency.
He added that the handing over of the patrol boat was a significant indication of the support.
“Since your appointment, there has been a flurry of activities. There have been huge seizures across commands.
“The cocaine seizure at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport was massive and for this, NDLEA must be recognised and commended.
“We will continue to give you all the necessary support. We must continue to work on our relationship to make sure that the current situation continues,” he stated.
In his response, the NDLEA boss assured the British government that the boat would be put to good use, while thanking them for their investment and support for the war against illicit drugs in the country.
“I want to appreciate the American and the British governments for the support given to the NDLEA over the years in terms of intelligence sharing, training, equipment and other logistics, and most especially since my assumption of duty as the Chairman of the NDLEA.
“Let me state categorically that with the new vigour and vigilance of our men and officers at the seaports, airports and land borders, which recently resulted in huge seizures.
“I am aware that drug traffickers have now turned to our waterways across the borders to bring in drugs.
“With the donation of this boat today, I’ll like to warn that the time is up for them also on our waterways because from now they have the NDLEA to contend with there and we’ll deal decisively with them if they fail to back out of the criminal trade,” he stated.
